REALTOR®, Educator & Client Advocate

How A REALTOR® Is Like A Doula And Why You Need Both

If you haven’t heard the term doula before, don’t be surprised. Unless you are connected with the birth community or have had a child, you’ve probably never heard the term. In layman’s words, a doula is a non-medical professional who supports a birthing mother and her partner. They offer prenatal support, assistance during the birth and sometimes postpartum care as well. While it isn’t a new concept in many cultures, here in America, the idea is fairly new. Organizations like The Birthing Circle of Frederick are just starting to gather analytics and statistics on how doulas improve birth outcomes. Brittany & Sarah of Frederick Moms & Doulas have a great blog series on what exactly is a doula, and what they do – check it out here!

How do these two professions relate? Most of you know what a REALTOR® does, and if you don’t, message me! Agents and doulas both educate and advocate. They hold your best interest at heart and guide you to the information you need to make an informed decision. They both use their knowledge and expertise in their respective fields to support you through major life changing processes. Buying or selling a home, and having a baby are both huge investments, and while they are very different on the spectrum of life experiences, they both come with many questions, concerns and expenses. Having an expert guide you, offering advice, support, and encouragement throughout the sometimes lengthy process can have a positive outcome for all. You’ve heard home buying horror stories. You’ve heard horror birth stories. My goal in my profession is to help ease some of that horror, to be proactive versus reactive. Same with doulas!

Why would you need to hire a doula and/or a REALTOR®? Both come with an investment. That’s why people try to buy and sell their homes without an agent. They want to save the money on a commission, or sometimes don’t trust agents. However, investing in an agent can end up saving you in the long run (source). Even the owner of FSBO.com used a real estate broker to sell his home (source). The argument against doulas is women have been birthing here for years without any problems, why pay someone extra to be there? The misconception is the “without any problems”. The C-section rate here is much higher than other countries (source) and maternal and infant mortality rates stay strong here, when in other countries they continue to decline (source). Doulas, like agents, help you map out your plan and give you the information you need to not make blind decisions. The investment can be so worth it, for your pocket and your peace of mind.

I’d love to hear your home buying or selling story and/or your birth story. If you feel comfortable, post them in the comments below! Or you can always email them to me with any questions, mary@neubauerhomes.com. I’ll never use your story without your permission. I love how we can learn from these stories and how we can connect over them. If you’re interested more in what the Birthing Circle is trying to do, reach out to info@birthingcircle.org. They’d love to send you some information on how you can help.